Sustainable build project at Hortonwood on course for autumn completion
Morris Property welcomed financial partners WMCA and Frontier Development Capital (FDC) to Hortonwood 45 this week to view progress on the 11.2-acre site at which it is creating an impressive 107,000ft² distribution/industrial warehouse facility which can be readily extended to 140,000 ft².
Progress at the £9.5 million design and build project commissioned by parent business, Morris & Company, is on course for BREEAM Very Good accreditation – and is reported to become the only such building available at Hortonwood, located just 4.5 miles from central Telford.
“The intention is to create a sustainably superior building working to BREEAM ‘very good’ rating which impacts from concept to completion. It is about how we build for the good of future tenants, the environment and the community” Chris Morris, Morris Property Director explained. “The generous landscaping scheme we have designed for example, is destined to be twice the size of the actual building footprint, so more than 50% of the site is green. This landscaping will absorb about 920 tons of CO2 a year.
Working to BREEAM standards requires a holistic plan for promoting construction, charity and community engagement and the Property team is working closely with sustainability experts and the local resident and business communities to deliver a ‘cradle to cradle’ development.
“We believe the quality and environmental credentials of the final structure will prove an attractive proposition for forward-thinking businesses looking to grow in a future-proofed, sustainable building” Chris Morris added.
Kieren Turner-Owen, Associate Director at FDC commented: “We at FDC are once again privileged to be working with Morris supporting the industrial development at Hortonwood 45. This is our second transaction with Morris in Telford after the successful funding of Paragon Point and our third overall with our involvement in Stadium Point, Shrewsbury. The loan facility for this speculative industrial development at Hortonwood 45 is a great example of how the WMCA funding can be deployed, accelerating job creation in the region. With a focus on the environment, Hortonwood 45 highlights the excellent industrial demand and ESG offerings in Telford and the wider West Midlands and we very much look forward to seeing the progress over the coming months.”
The imposing 370-ton steel frame is now complete with cladding underway for the unit which will have 11.5 m eaves (to the underside of haunch), 50kn/m² floor loadings, single-storey integral offices totalling 5,220 ft², 8 Dock Levellers and 2 Level Access loading doors. An upgraded roof structure will accommodate PV panels and a 1MVA power supply if required. In addition, there will be parking for 193 cars including 20 EV charging points.
The building represents the 26th commercial development undertaken by the Shropshire-based family-run property group in the Telford and Wrekin borough, including the two Morris-owned and built developments, Access442 and Paragon Point. It also marks the company’s 14th development at Hortonwood.
The project build is due to complete in October ‘24 when the extensive 20,000 m2 landscaping will begin. Morris Property has been acquiring, building, restoring and leasing commercial property in the region for more than 100 years. Hortonwood 45 represents Morris Property’s clear commitment to continued investment in Telford and its appetite to acquire and develop oven-ready sites.
